Chapter Text
A week. A full week. How was I going to get through this while avoiding a certain blonde? As I looked at my phone, I could feel my heart beating in my ears. This wasn’t anything new. It was something I was used to growing up. But something about this week felt different. Taking a deep breath I texted Ochako and Todoroki. Maybe if I was gone this whole week, with their help, it would be easier to get through this.
I was so relieved that my two best friends agreed to this. For once in a very long time I wouldn’t be alone this dreadful week. And I wouldn’t be within reach of a certain person.
As I drove my new car in front of Ochako’s apartment is when my phone buzzed. Maybe it was mom, who finally saw the note I left on the table. Or perhaps Todoroki letting me know that he was ready whenever I was. But to my horror it wasn’t any of that. Reading across the contact was the cursed name I wanted to avoid.
I shouldn’t open the text. I should keep it as unread. But my anxiety wouldn’t let me do this one simple act. When opening the messenger app, I felt my chest was being compressed. My eyes burned as tears began to form while I clicked on that one name. It was becoming so hard to breathe as my blurry vision stared at the screen. I couldn’t even read what he had sent me.
It took me a moment to wipe the tears away from my eyes long enough to finally read the message. “What are you doing for your birthday, nerd?” God, I hated this. It always felt like he was mocking me ever since 4th grade. And the way things turned up for my birthday last year, I just wanted to forget. He hates me! He hate me! HE HATES ME!
Why does it hurt so much? He hates me and yet he still finds a way to show up on my birthday. He hates me and still gives me gifts. Even though I know it’s only because his parents are the one who makes him do this. Everything he has ever given me was from his parents. Not once did he ever done anything on my birthday that came from him. He hates me so much!
I know I shouldn’t be arguing over the fact that he at least gives me something. I shouldn’t even care that it was from someone else and not him. Maybe it’s the fact of how hard I go out of my way to give him something. Knowing full well he probably throws it away once he got home. I’m so pathetic and it hurts so much.
I switch over contacts and text Ochako that I was here. As I waited for her, I silently continued to cry in my car. “Deku?” Hearing that name made the pain in my chest ache even more. It was like he was right next to me. He would most like punch my face for crying. Almost instinctually I shield my face and braced for impact. “Midoriya!” The way I felt a strange small hand pulling my arms had me blinking.
It took me a moment to recognize that wasn’t his voice. Especially since he never called me by my last name. After blinking and taking a few deep breaths, I finally pulled down my arms and saw Ochako sitting in the passenger seat. How long has she been there? How long was I crying?
As I tried to rub the tears away, I felt I was being pulled. It took me a moment to realize that I was being hugged. “Shh. It’s ok. I’m here, Midoriya.” My chest felt even heavier as I embraced her. It just hurts so much and I didn’t know what to do. “There, there.” I could feel a hand rubbing my back, but it did not bring me comfort.
Instead, this whole embraced felt cold and unwelcoming. Almost like the hugs my mother would give when she tried to calm me down. I was once again becoming numb to the touch and I didn’t understand. Why was this simple act made me feel so alone? Something that was supposed to bring comfort just makes me so unloved. And when I pulled away, the person I saw was the very woman who rather silence me than acknowledge I was in pain.
“Midoriya?” At that sound I finally blinked and came to see I was not a child any more. Why was this happening on all days? “Hey.” Ochako placed a hand on my cheek, and the coldness kept growing around me. “What happened, Deku?”
“Don’t call me that.” I pushed her hand away and started up the car again. The drive was silent between us and I just didn’t care. But the moment we got to Todoroki’s place, I stepped out and walked over to his door. After a few moments, he was there. “Did you pack for the trip?”
“I assume you didn’t respond well when Bakugo texted you?” I looked at the ground as I fidget with my fingers. Out of everyone, I somehow was able to tell Todoroki things I didn’t think I would share. Besides leaving out I was quirkless growing up, I told him about all the bullying I went through. It was always strange how easy it was to talk to him. Probably due to the fact he shared something so personal with me during the sports festival. “He had requested I let him know if I spoke to you.” I finally looked up at him. “Something about how it was important that you wasn’t alone for your birthday.”
I looked back down at my feet. “Kacchan shouldn’t be talking.” Letting out a sigh, I began fidgeting with my shirt. “Not like he actually cares. He’s only doing this because of his parents. No way he care that I was alone.”
That’s when I felt I was being pulled by the elbow. “Where are we going? Did you have a destination in mind?”
I looked up at Todoroki before finally walking at my own pace. Climbing into the driver’s seat again, I thought more on the question. “How do you two feel about going to Osaka?”
“That sounds lovely.” Ochako practically danced in her seat before her phone dinged. After what seemed like a few minutes, I felt her place a hand on my shoulder. “Is it alright if we invited 3 more people? Please, Midoriya?”
I let out a sigh as I had to stop at a light. “Who would that be?”
“Momo, Ida, and Tsu. Come on. The more people the better.” Not even thinking it over for a few seconds, I happily agreed. After picking up the other 3, the drive on the highway was noisy. The girls singing along to whatever song was on the radio. Ida helping with navigation, when my gps glitches. But what really made things feel ok was how Todoroki agreed to hold my phone the whole time.
The almost 6 hour drive wasn’t so bad, since I wasn’t alone. And I was glad that I wasn’t the only one who got their driver’s license. It was a surprised to know that Todoroki had one, but made sense since he refuses to be in the same car as his dad. So, we ended up taking turned in the driver seat whenever one of us got tried. When we reached Osaka is when I needed my phone back. “Maybe it’s best that I go to your contact list before giving it to you.”
“Why do you have Midoriya’s phone, Todoroki?” We both looked at Tsu before I looked at the ground.
“Perhaps it was to make sure our friend didn’t get distracted during the drive.” For once I was grateful that Ida stepped in. And when I finally got my phone from Todoroki I quickly called Micky. It wasn’t planned that I would have the extra 3 people, but maybe he could figure something out.
I was pleased that the hotel Micky had booked for us had extra rooms. And once we got there, it was even a greater surprised at what kind of rooms they were. “Seriously, Midoriya.” I looked over to Tsu. “Who is paying for all this, ribbit?”
“You must be Mr. Midoriya? It’s a pleasure to meet you.” We all suddenly looked at the older short women before us. “Mr. Smith had informed me that you and your friends will be here for a week. He also entrusted his usual room to you.” After being escorted into an elevator, I was beyond in disbelief at the room I was in. “Since it is your birthday week, he will cover all your expenses. So, please, do not hesitant to ask for anything.”
That night, after making sure everyone else was ok, I left alone on a huge bed. It was the softest bed I have ever been on. This all felt like a dream, but I knew it wasn’t. After everything I been through, maybe it was ok to indulge in this strange fantasy. That was until my phone kept buzzing. My nerves started to pick up as I slowly crawled over to the night stand.
It’s then that I saw why Todoroki had made it a point to not allow me to see my phone. There, staring back at me, were 20 missed calls and 100 text messengers. I was hopeful that the majority was at least my mom’s. But to my disappointment it was all from him. Why was he doing this to me?
He never done this before. He never went out of his way to reach out to me. So why was Kacchan doing this now? I could feel my tears burning down my face as I stared at my phone. I shouldn’t answer him. I should keep away. Maybe I could block him for the week. But what if he does this to Todoroki, until he gets Todoroki to make me talk to him. Damn it! Damn it!
It was becoming so hard to breathe as my chest felt heavy. This wasn’t fair! Was he doing this because I didn’t get him a gift this year? I thought we had already settled that. What if Kacchan was messing with me since I wasn’t going to spend my birthday with him this year? Maybe that was what he was getting at. This isn’t the first time I didn’t even try to ask if he wanted to spend time with me. But he somehow always manages it find a way.
My vision blurred even more as I felt the room spinning. Kacchan hates me! He’s only trying to mess with me. It hurts so much! That’s when my phone started to ring in that one ringtone. The one I had just for him. It was the song Time and Time Again by Papa Roach. The same part on repeat. “The cycle continues, time for your crimes. The pain comes back in an ugly design.” It repeat 3 whole times before the call dropped.
For a moment I thought I was safe, until he started calling me again. I just watched as my phone flashed Kacchan’s profile picture. I shouldn’t do this. It would be so much easier if I just don’t answer. Once I get the chance I should block his number.
But as I watched my phone, my body kept violently shaking. It was so hard to breathe as my shoulders felt so heavy. It didn’t help as the burning wetness ran down my face. Whenever the ringing stopped I tried to reach for my phone, but it would start up again. Damn it! Why isn’t he leaving me alone? Why was it so important that he mocked me now?
After the 8th time I just gave in. I picked up the phone and placed him on speaker. “Deku!” I stood silent as I heard his breathing on the other side. “Nerd! Why the fuck you avoiding me?” This was a mistake. Just as I got near my phone, ready to hangup, I heard something. It almost sounded like hiccups. What in the world? “Why aren’t you speaking? I know you’re there.”
I shakily picked up my phone and brought it closer to my face. “What do you want, Kacchan?”
“God fucking damn it! Are you crying? What the fuck happened? Are you hurt?”
“Why do you care. It doesn’t matter. Just tell me what you want and just… just…” The words felt stuck in my throat as my chest ached. “Just leave me alone.”
“Damn it, Deku!” There was a sudden silence before he spoke again. “Why didn’t you tell me personally you weren’t going to be home this week?”
“I don’t have to tell you anything, Kacchan.”
“You’re right. But…” I faintly heard him breathe out a sigh. “You never did this before. So, where are you?”
I tried to take a deep breath as I placed my phone on the pillow. With that I laid my head on the other pillow, on this king size bed. “Not home.”
“No shit, dumbass.” I could hear Kacchan sucking his teeth, a old habit of his. “You’re really going to be gone all week?”
“Yeah.”
“Heh.” I moved closer to the other pillow. “Are you going to be alone all week?”
“No. And don’t ask with who.”
“Don’t tell me what to do.” He sucked his teeth again. “When are you going to be back?”
“Why does that matter?”
“Just answer the question, nerd.”
“Saturday.” I took a deep breath. “Why are you asking?”
“Um…” That was odd. I sat up and picked up my phone. It was unusual for Kacchan to hesitant. I wonder what he was going through. “Would you like to… um… go to the… um… last day of… um… of the Hero Con?” Was my ears playing treats on me? There was no way Kacchan invited me to do something. I just stared at my phone. What was I supposed to say? “Look. I know we missed it last year, because the building was being rebuild. But what do you say, Deku? Just you and me at that stupid Hero Con?” I must have more exhausted than I thought. There was no way this was real. “Nerd? I know you’re there. I’m waiting for an answer.”
“Yes!” I quickly covered my mouth. Why did I scream? “I mean… sure. That sounds… fun.”
“Heh. Damn nerd.” I could faintly hear him sighing, and somehow, I wish I was there to hear it in person. “Be safe and have fun until then, Deku.”